vallaro



J. VALLARO. MECHANICAL AUTO-IWDICAIOR SYSTEM 10 ANNOUNCE ABNORMALITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN ANY OF THE CARS WHICH FORM RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOVEMENT.

1 APPLICATION man em. 25, 1918. 1,321,685. Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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MFCHANECAL AUTO-INDICATOR SYSTEM TO ANNOUNCE ABNORMALITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN ANY OF THE CARS WHlCH FORM RAILWAY TRAINS IN MOVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1918- 1,,S23L685, Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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- WITNESSES llVl/E/VTOR Jl/A/V MAL/4R0 %Ufl%%w By W ATTORNEY? UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JUAN VALLARO, OF MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY.

MECHANICAL AUTO-INDICATOR SYSTEM TO ANNOUNCE ABNORMALITIES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN ANY OF THE CARS 'WHIOH FORM RAILWAY-TRAINS IN MOVEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed October 25, 1918. Serial No. 259,679.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JUAN VALLARO, citizen of Uruguay, residing at Montevideo, Uruguay, have invented new and useful improvements in mechanical auto indicator systems to announce abnormalities that might occur in any of the cars which form railway-trains in movement, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway appliances and to means providing signals on the different cars of a train as well as the engine when any car has been derailed or disconnected.

Another object in view is to provide an improved arrangement for utilizing an electric circuit on the train which will be automatically closed when the car is removed accidentally or intentionally.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a signal system for cars for indicating the derailment or removal of any cars, and which may be applied to cars now in use without any appreciable change, and at a minimum expense.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side vlew of part of a train with an embodiment of the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view showing certain features of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one of the connecting members.

Fig. 5 is a side View partially in section showing a bumper embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the front part of a car with a coupling head connected thereto.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the coupler or chain embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a front view of an annunciator.

' Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates an engine and 2 a car. Only two vehicles are shown, but it will be evident that a large number of cars may be arranged in a train without departing from the spirit of the invention. The engine 1 and car 2 are both provided with bufiers 3 and 4 of any desired structure. and in addition are provided with bufiing heads 5, 6, 7 and 8 connected to the reciprocating U-bars 9 and 10 mounted on the engine 1 and car 2 respectively. The U-bar 9 is slidingly held in position on the engine 1 by the guides 11 and 12, said U member having a rear connecting bar 13 for receiving the end of cable 14 and also for receiving the wire 15 from any suitable source of current, as for instance an ordinary storage battery. The opposite side of the storage battery is connected with wire 16 which in turn is connected to the plate 17 said plate being connected to the coupler head 18 and to the stop 19, but insulated from the U-bar 9. Preferably the insulation merely consists in the mountin of these parts on wood as well as the coup er head 18. Arranged adjacent the coupler head 18 is a supporting plate 20 pivotally connected to plate 17, plate 20 being preferably insulation and provided with a depression or aperture for receiving the lower end of the draft pin 21. This draft pin is provided with a feather 22 which fits into the groove 28 in the opening 24 of the coupler 18 when the pin 21 is placed in position, said feather being provided to prevent the accidental jarring loose of the pin. Associated with the pin 21 is a link 25 having preferably a triangular shaped opening 26 for accommodating pin 21 and an opening 27 with the apertured threaded end 28 for accommodating the adjusting screw 29, said adjusting screw being provided with right and left hand threads and extending into the end 28 of each of the links 25 and 25'. A suitable operating handle 30 is provided for rotating the adjusting screw 29 to cause the bufling heads 5 to 8 inclusive to be properly positioned as well as the respective U-bars 9 and 10. The link 25 is prevented from accidentally moving off the pin 21 by plate 20 under ordinary circumstances, but in case of a derailment plate 20 drops down under the action of gravity to the dotted position shown in Fig. 4-, and also as indicated in Fig. 1, whereupon link 25 may be disconnected and released. This will disconnect the engine 1 from car 2. It will be evident that this same arrangement between any two cars will operate in the same manner. I

The link 25 and associate parts are iden tical with the link 25 and associate parts so that additional description will be neceseary link 25 and associate parts being mounted on car 2.

action of spring 32, will move to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the end member 13 of the U member 9 will engage the stop 19 and close the circuit of wires 15 and 16. Connected to these wires may be any kind of a signal device, as for instance an ordinary telephone or annunciator box 3 1 shown in Fig. 8. This annunciator box may be of any desired kind and provided with a light or lamp and places to plug in telephones if desired. When bar 9 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 the circuit is closed for the box 134 so that current will pass therethrou h from the battery to the wire 16, plate 1 wire 35, stop 19, end 13 and wire 15 back to the battery. This circuit will be maintained as long-as the bar 9 is in its extended position.

In some instances it may be desired to disconnect car 2 from the engine while the train is still running. To do this the engineer pulls upon the cable 14 and thereby stretches spring 32 so that spring 33 will cause the end 13 to strike stop 19 on car 2 and close the circuit of wires 15 and 16. In addition the plate 20' is released so that a slight jerk of the engine will cause the link 25 to move ofl of the pin 21 under the action of gravity. This will cause a full disconnectiono't the engine and cars so that the engine may proceed as fast as desired with out thecars. The releasing of plates 20 and 21 is caused by the fact that the U members 9 and 10 are provided with grooves 36 extending from near their outer end to the notches 37. The notches 37 are open at the bottom'so that when the U-members 9 or 10 move under the action of spring 32 to their extreme position, as for instance the positionshown in Fig. 2, the plate 20 will be allowed to drop under the action of gravity, to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1 and thereby permit the link 25 to move off the pin 21. This action of the plate 20 and associate parts will take place whether the rear cars are disengaged by reason of breakage and derailment, or by reason of the action of the engineer in operating the cable 14:. If desired an independent cable 1 1 could be provided for each car so that the engineer could disengage any car dev sired at. any time.

What I claim is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a car coupler, means for holding the coupler against accidental disengagement, a reciprocating U-bar for each car for normally supporting said means, a spring for actuating each of said bars for moving the same to a position whereby said means are released, and an electrical circuit having one side connected with said coupler and the other side with said U-bars.

2. In a signal device for trains, U-shaped bars slidingly positioned on the ends of the cars of the train so as to project beyond said ends and come in contact with each other when the cars are coupled, a spring acting on each of said U-shaped bars for moving the same outwardly when a car is disengaged, an electric wire connected with each of said U- shaped bars, a stop for limiting the movement of said U-shaped bars, a return electric Wire connected with said stop, and a signal means connected with said wires adapted to be set in motion when said U-shaped member engages said stop. I

3. A signal device for trains comprising a signal annunciator, a circuit including a source of current, supply and return wires, a stop arranged at each end of each car connected with said supply wire, a sliding U- shaped member mounted at each end of each car connected to said return wire, means for causing said U-shaped bars to engage said stops whenever released, and coupling means between the cars for normally preventing the release of said U-shaped bars.

4. A signal device for indicating the disconnection of cars comprising an annunciator, conductors leading therefrom, a battery inserted in the circuit of said conductors, a U-shaped member slidingly mounted at each end of each car of the train, bumper members connected with said U- shaped members whereby the U-shaped members are held in a substantially medial position when two cars are coupled together, a spring acting on each of said U-shaped members for moving the same from said central position to an outer position, a stop for each of said U-shaped members for limiting the movement of said U-shaped members, said conductors being connected respectively to said step and said U-shaped members, and manually operated means for moving either of said -shaped members in a reverse direction against the action of the spring acting thereon whereby the next adjacent U-shaped member will be released.

5. In a signal device for trains the combination with a coupling device and pin, of a pivotal plate for holding said coupling device on said pin, a sliding U-shaped member having a pair of spaced grooves for accommodating the ends of said plate so as to hold the same in a given position, said grooves being formed with openings at one point whereby when the U- shaped member is moved to a given position said plate may move off said pin and thereby release said coupling member, a stop for limiting the movement of said U-shaped member, and an electrically operated member connected with said stop and said U- shaped member whereby when the U-shaped member engages the stop the electrically operated member will be actuated, said aotuation being substantially simultaneously with the release of said coupling member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUAN VALLARO.

Witnesses:

R. A. REE, SHERWOOD H. AVERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

